Trump’s World - The Trump Administration and International law

On 20 January the Trump administration will assume power in Washington. Until then the world is holding its breath. While it is impossible to predict the precise shape of President Trump’s foreign policy, the candidate and President-elect Trump made several statements about his vision of the US’ role and engagement with the World. He indicated his willingness to compromise with Russia over Syria and Ukraine and criticised the financial burden shouldered by the US to sustain NATO. Candidate Trump was also very much opposed to the signing of the Paris Agreement and openly sceptical of the reality of climate change. Finally, his success as a candidate seems to have been partly predicated on his strong criticism of trade deals, be it NAFTA or TPP. To what extent will the critical positions of candidate Trump vis-à-vis certain pillars of recent US foreign policy guide the Trump Administration? What will happen on the geopolitical battlefields of Syria and Ukraine? Will we see the diminishment of NATO? Will the Trump administration denounce the Paris Agreement and abandon the transnational process put in place to slow down climate change? Will the pending transnational trade deals (TTIP and TPP) be signed under a Trump administration? Will the existing trade deals (NAFTA) be rescinded?

This event aims to reflect on these questions, to discuss the options available to the Trump administration, and to evaluate the potential consequences of President-elect Trump’s positions for the international order at large. It also aims to inform the perspectives of those (in Europe and beyond) that stand on the receiving end of the future foreign policy of the incoming Trump administration.